"He wants to show the world how he pulls it off": That's why Schröder could be visiting Putin
Created: 03/12/2022, 19:10
By: Kathrin Reikowski
Former Chancellor Schröder (center) with his wife Soyeon (left) during a visit to Putin in 2018. The ex-Chancellor is said to be back in Moscow to mediate in the Ukraine war.
© Alexei Druzhinin / dpa
Gerhard Schröder is with his wife in Russia with Putin.
Most recently, the SPD in particular had put pressure on him to take a stand in the Ukraine war.
Moscow/Berlin – Gerhard Schröder* and his wife Soyeon Schröder-Kim have been in Moscow since Wednesday.
According to the Kremlin, a conversation between Waldimir Putin and Gerhard Schröder took place on Thursday.
But it is still unclear whether this will have consequences for Russia and the escalated Ukraine conflict.
But what could have motivated former Chancellor Schröder to make this trip?
Russia expert Hans-Henning Schröder suspects to
t-online
behind Schröder's trip not only the concern for the people in Ukraine.
Schröder's wife had posted a picture from Moscow on Instagram showing her in a praying position:
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's wife Soyeon Schröder-Kim posted a picture from Moscow.
© Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance/dpa
"I think he wants to show the world how he can pull it off," the Russia expert estimates as one of Schröder's motives.
"To be able to prove his relationships now and actually be able to make a difference in the end, that would be a nice chapter in his biography."
One thing seems certain: Schröder's trip did not take place at the official request of Ukraine*.
The Ukrainian ambassador Melnyk denied speculation in this direction in
Bild
on Friday evening .
He assumed that people would find out about the talks on Saturday via "channels that are now virtually non-public" and placed a certain amount of hope in Schröder's influence on Putin.
Current information about Schröder's visit to Putin can be found here.
Schröder with Putin: Russia expert gives reasons for going it alone
Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, is one of Schröder's critics in the SPD.
He had demanded in the
Handelsblatt
that Schröder draw "the necessary consequences" with regard to his posts in Russian companies.
And he is also skeptical about Schröder's trip to Putin: "I don't know whether he actually has any real influence on the Kremlin's willingness to make peace at the age of 77 without any political office," said Weil, although Schröder certainly has good relations with the Kremlin.
also read
Scholz: Consider Schröder talks when mediating
They both talk to Putin - but while Chancellor Scholz picks up the phone, former Chancellor Schröder travels directly to Moscow to speak to the Kremlin boss.
Both should serve one goal: to end the war.
Scholz: Consider Schröder talks when mediating
“Would be the next declaration of war”: Röttgen warns of a new Putin option on “Lanz”.
The tensions between NATO and Russia determine the debate on “Markus Lanz”.
Also present: CDU politician Röttgen and the former German ambassador to Russia.
“Would be the next declaration of war”: Röttgen warns of a new Putin option on “Lanz”.
The Russia expert Schröder sees it differently.
Compared to
t-online
, he judged the Chancellor's chances of success as not bad at all.
“I think Putin trusts Gerhard Schröder.
Whereas he doesn't trust Scholz and Macron," said Russia expert Schröder.
“For Putin, Scholz and Macron embody the West, which wants to rip him off.
On the other hand, he worked in a spirit of trust with Schröder even during the Iraq war.”
You can find out all the latest developments from the Ukraine war in our news ticker.
Ukraine war: How Schröder could mediate between Putin and the West
According to the Russia expert Schröder, the Russian side has repeatedly indicated that it is not prepared to negotiate.
Since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Putin has developed his own worldview.
“The interesting thing about Gerhard Schröder is that he could actually reach Putin in his wagon complex.
And then show him what's happening outside of it.”
The expert does not expect an immediate, quick result from Schröder's visit to Putin.
"I don't think these talks will result in an immediate break-in," he said, "but at least it could persuade the Russian side not to be a cinder block in upcoming talks."
It is unclear exactly what message Schröder is bringing to the Kremlin.
"But I could imagine that Putin sees Schröder as someone you can talk to man to man," said Schröder.
"That would at least make him a clear step ahead of Scholz and Macron." On Friday evening, Putin spoke of positive changes on the side of the Ukrainian negotiators.
You can read all developments in the Ukraine negotiations in the ticker.
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